Joe Buck and Troy Aikman would be repulsed over being described as “the voices of the Giants,” but as they prepare to work their third straight Big Blue game, well, let’s just say they should be familiar with the team.

This isn’t about the perception that Aikman never placed Eli Manning on a high plateau. Or that Buck didn’t get properly excited when Manning connected on that first-half ending Hail Maria in Green Bay on Sunday.
Save the genuflecting duties for the Giants Radio Network. Those announcers are paid by the team.
No, this is more about attention to detail. The Fox voices need to step it up Sunday working the NFL Championship Game in San Francisco. Why not get a head start on what is going to go down next season? In terms of comparing broadcasts, the postseason going forward is going to be much more competitive.
NBC is going to get an extra playoff game. ESPN may get a playoff game, too. This will no doubt elevate the quality of postseason coverage. The Foxies should get out in front of it now.
From their Hollywood bunker, Fox suits have always claimed they think outside the box. Then why not do an hour pregame Sunday at noon, head-to-head with CBS? Giants-49ers is the marquee matchup, a game with legit national appeal. Plenty of eyeballs would tune in for an early, hour-long pregame.
There is no such thing as a drab title matchup, but Ravens-Patriots is close. CBS is “stuck” with an AFC Championship Game that holds mostly regional appeal, kind of like a Stanley Cup playoff game. Still, it ain’t like CBS will have to put lipstick on a pig — just eye shadow.
So, Aikman and Buck will have the spotlight (6:30 p.m. start) that runs into prime time. On the surface, they did fine in Green Bay. They could’ve done better. As usual, Aikman does well analyzing what’s unfolding in front of him. But sometimes he leaves holes and questions unanswered.
Like when the Giants recovered two Green Bay onside kicks. We did not expect to hear Aikman say, “I talked to Giants special teams’coach Tom Quinn last week.” We did expect Aikman to at least mention Quinn and give him credit for tightening up a Giants problem area. If Mike Westhoff was coaching the Giants special teams, Aikman may have nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
Perhaps Aikman will focus more on this aspect of the Giants on Sunday. During the Giants 27-20 loss to San Francisco in November, Quinn came under fire after kicker David Akers successfully pulled off an onside kick that led to a second-quarter field goal.
It would help too if Buck and Aikman could connect through an entire game. Sometimes, they talk past each other. In the fourth quarter, it was obvious when Buck was talking about the 2003 Giants-49ers playoff game and how good it was, Aikman was talking about their November regular-season meeting and how good it was. There was a total disconnect.
Mistakes happen. Yet in a huge title game it would be nice if the voices’ vapor doesn’t lock.
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It will be tough for CBS to generate major buzz, either here or nationally, with that Patriots-Ravens matchup.
That’s why the brainiacs need someone to juice things up. Rex Ryan could do it. He should be added to “The NFL Today” cast on Sunday. Ryan could pump some life into the talking corpses on the panel — or at least ignore any dissension in the green room .
Seriously though, who knows the Ravens’ defense better than Ryan? He knows something about the Patriots, too.
Rex could even clean up the garbage left by Ndamukong Suh.
Bringing Suh into the CBS studio Sunday was a mistake. He was a monotone mess who seemed to be reading from his own script. Suh was awful. He inflicted more punishment on “The NFL Today” audience than he did on Evan Dietrich-Smith, the guy he jolly-stomped on Thanksgiving Day.
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Never knew how many mouths had already informed us, during the season, what a “mediocre” team the Packers were until we plugged into the Valley of the Stupid Sunday night and heard them pat themselves on the back.....These were some of the same pontificators who had also fired Tom Coughlin, Jerry Reese and Perry Fewell during the season.....And where are all the mea culpa columns from those who wanted Coughlin out the door? Guess it’s a “never mind” thing. They’ve traded their axes for Giants pom-poms.

The only person I can't stand more than Buck, is Raissman. The guy is an *** who mocks everything that anyone ever says. Not an original thought in his head -- just commentates on the commentators.

Gianthunter

01-17-2012, 10:14 AM

The NFL on Fox a commercial interuppted by a football game. It's a disgrace. On a side note. I wonder if most realize that both teams and replay officals rely on network feeds for judgement on calls. It's been rumored that some of these feeds are not timely or complete. ie. all camera angles, interuppted feeds etc.

DragonSoul

01-17-2012, 10:20 AM

The only person I can't stand more than Buck, is Raissman. The guy is an *** who mocks everything that anyone ever says. Not an original thought in his head -- just commentates on the commentators.Have not read/listened to Raissman much. Read it, and felt some may enjoy the read.

FLNYGFAN

01-17-2012, 10:41 AM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.

DragonSoul

01-17-2012, 10:43 AM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.Aikman isn't the golden boy either. I really wish we had Simms. He tried to keep it down the middle, or at least show both sides.

FLNYGFAN

01-17-2012, 10:45 AM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.Aikman isn't the golden boy either. I really wish we had Simms. He tried to keep it down the middle, or at least show both sides.

Aikman is not bad. He compliments the Giants a good deal, even if it might be difficult for him. He rightfully sang praise for Eli throughout most of the game against Green Bay.

DragonSoul

01-17-2012, 10:54 AM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.Aikman isn't the golden boy either. I really wish we had Simms. He tried to keep it down the middle, or at least show both sides.

Aikman is not bad. He compliments the Giants a good deal, even if it might be difficult for him. He rightfully sang praise for Eli throughout most of the game against Green Bay.After they were reamed by many this past season on there criticism of Eli, TC and the team. While they have an orgasim over heavenly Romo that can do no wrong.

FLNYGFAN

01-17-2012, 11:17 AM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.Aikman isn't the golden boy either. I really wish we had Simms. He tried to keep it down the middle, or at least show both sides.

Aikman is not bad. He compliments the Giants a good deal, even if it might be difficult for him. He rightfully sang praise for Eli throughout most of the game against Green Bay.After they were reamed by many this past season on there criticism of Eli, TC and the team. While they have an orgasim over heavenly Romo that can do no wrong.

Of course they fall in love with Romo because you have an ex Cowboy QB in the booth. You also have one of the worst play by play guys in there as well.

They're not supposed to be pulling for either team. You can tell by Buck that he cannot abide by the principle. Aikman does compliment well even if it pains him. You mentioned Simms before and he is good, but I would think he'd have a bit of the Aikman in him if it came to the Giants.

Albert-Johnston-Siragusa are a better team than Buck-Aikman-Oliver in my opinion.

DragonSoul

01-17-2012, 11:20 AM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.Aikman isn't the golden boy either. I really wish we had Simms. He tried to keep it down the middle, or at least show both sides.

Aikman is not bad. He compliments the Giants a good deal, even if it might be difficult for him. He rightfully sang praise for Eli throughout most of the game against Green Bay.After they were reamed by many this past season on there criticism of Eli, TC and the team. While they have an orgasim over heavenly Romo that can do no wrong.

Of course they fall in love with Romo because you have an ex Cowboy QB in the booth. You also have one of the worst play by play guys in there as well.

They're not supposed to be pulling for either team. You can tell by Buck that he cannot abide by the principle. Aikman does compliment well even if it pains him. You mentioned Simms before and he is good, but I would think he'd have a bit of the Aikman in him if it came to the Giants.

Albert-Johnston-Siragusa are a better team than Buck-Aikman-Oliver in my opinion.The rare times Simms has done it, to me it seemed he did the opposite, and tried not to give the team as much credit as they may have earned/deserved so he did not look like a homer, yet he did compliment the other team as much if not more.

FLNYGFAN

01-17-2012, 11:23 AM

Let Simms do multiple Giants' game a season.

I am not disagreeing about Simms. He's right at the top of the list of play by play guys. I don't think Aikman is as bad as you make it seem.

However, Buck is a horrorshow.

VelocityVirus

01-17-2012, 12:52 PM

I think the problem with Aikmen is not his fault. When he makes an objective statement or analysis, it causes a big hoopla because he is in fact an ex-Cowboys player. I am prolly one of the select few that feels Aikmen is a great commentator, and I actually look forward to him calling Giants games. Buck doesn't bother me much really. I've seen Aikmen call plenty of Cowboy games to know that he has absolutely 0 issues with calling out anything stupid they, or especially Tony Romo does.

And as a side note, it's hard to compliment a team and its players when they are playing like crap. At 9-7, you're not gonna garner much praise besides your few bright spots.

JJC7301

01-17-2012, 12:53 PM

I feel bad for Aikman having to sit alongside Buck.Aikman isn't the golden boy either. I really wish we had Simms. He tried to keep it down the middle, or at least show both sides.</P>

+1 on Simms.</P>

JJC7301

01-17-2012, 12:54 PM

The only person I can't stand more than Buck, is Raissman. The guy is an *** who mocks everything that anyone ever says. Not an original thought in his head -- just commentates on the commentators.Have not read/listened to Raissman much. Read it, and felt some may enjoy the read.</P>

Don't get me wrong -- good post. I just hear Raisman's name and I want to vomit.</P>